Though he no longer voiced his disappointment aloud, Friedrich continued to berate himself for his inaction as he followed his sister, carefully stepping over the larger stones in the path. The ground had begun to slope gently some time before, and Gretl had quickly tired of walking. Georg had immediately taken her onto his back, sandwiching her between himself and the pack. Her extra weight did not seem to slow him at all, however, and Friedrich noticed he continued to move quickly, checking Marta's progress from time to time and only slowing when she was falling too far behind. The sun was high in the sky before he finally paused in a small clearing. "We should be far enough away from the farm now that we can rest for a bit," he remarked.

"Can we have breakfast?" Kurt questioned. For the first time since they had left the villa that night, Friedrich saw his father smile as he chuckled slightly.

"I think we can manage that." Eagerly, Kurt sat down on a small rock, and the others followed his example. Maria found the food and passed out bread, some hard cheese, and fruit to all of the children.

"What is going on? I know you said the Anschluss is happening, but why does that mean we have to leave our home?" Brigitta questioned as they began to eat. Friedrich saw the worry lines suddenly cross his father's face again, and he knew the answer would not be pleasant.

Georg sighed, glancing around at his children who were watching him expectantly. He considered for a moment before speaking. "I have been working for the British government to help infiltrate the Nazi party for the past few years," he said. "It's dangerous work, but I felt that it was necessary work, and I was in an ideal position to help with it." Friedrich nodded, having guessed as much based on previous conversations with his father. He looked around and noted that Liesl, Louisa, and Brigitta were nodding as well, and he suspected they had also guessed what was happening. Kurt looked thoughtful, but there was less confusion on his face than Friedrich had expected, so perhaps even he had determined something was happening. "I recently came across some information that I knew I needed to give to my contacts in Great Britain to save many lives, but in doing so, I exposed what I was doing. Given that the Nazi's now have control of Austria, it was not safe there anymore for me, and, by extension, all of you." Friedrich noticed the pain creasing his father's face, and he wondered about it for a moment. He had managed to get them out in time, and they were all alive and healthy. As far as Friedrich was concerned, he had done exactly the right thing.

Louisa, however, seemed to understand what her father was feeling. In a move which surprised everyone, she stood and moved to her father, wrapping him in a tight embrace. "You did the right thing," she said firmly. "Saving lives is more important than our house or anything in it."

"Thank you, Darling," Georg muttered, returning the hug. After a minute or so, they pulled apart, and Friedrich noted with some surprise that his father's eyes were damp. Georg cleared his throat.

"I do not want to lie—the next few days likely will not be easy. The safest place for us to go right now is Switzerland, but they will be patrolling the roads at the borders and the train stations, so we have no choice but to cross on foot."

"We can do it, Father," Friedrich assured him, and his siblings immediately agreed. Even little Gretl voiced her determination and Johannes nodded as well, likely unsure what he was agreeing to but always happy to support his siblings.

Georg gave them all a smile. "I know you can, and I am very proud of all of you for taking on this challenge." They finished eating quickly, all of the children eager to show their father that they were capable of tackling the challenge before them. Once they finished eating, they packed up, and Georg glanced at his youngest sons. "Liesl, Louisa, why don't you let your mother and I take the boys for a bit?" he suggested.

"We can take them, Father," Liesl objected, and Louisa nodded in agreement.

"You should have a rest," he declared in a tone that brooked no argument.

"At least let us take your packs," Louisa said.

"Yes, you should take your mother's." Maria raised her eyebrows at him, but even she did not dare object when he spoke with such command. Instead, she handed him one of the wraps, and they both quickly wrapped the young boys against their bodies. Once she had Phillip safely ensconced, she adjusted the wrap around Georg slightly. He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips with a small smile and a look that, even at fourteen, Friedrich knew was meant solely for her. He could clearly see the love between his parents; it was a beacon in the bleak world that had descended upon them. He could not help but feel that no matter what happened in the mountains, they would be okay.

With a glance at the sun, Georg set a course, and the rest of the children fell into line behind him with Maria and Marta bringing up the rear. They had only walked for an hour or so when Kurt began to question the timing of lunch. Georg raised his eyebrows at the eleven-year-old. "Did you not just finish breakfast?"

"I'm a growing boy!"

"We'll stop at noon."

"How will you know it's noon? You left your watch at home," Kurt persisted.

Georg sighed, and Friedrich noted his wrist was indeed bare. "The sun."

"You can tell time from the sun?" Kurt sounded impressed.

"I'm a Navy captain, Kurt. I can tell a lot of things from the sun."

"Like what?" Gretl chirped from beside him. She had not asked him to carry her again, but Friedrich could see she was already growing tired and imagined it would not be long before she did. He shifted his pack to test its weight, deciding that he should be able to take Johannes when that happened to leave his father free to carry Gretl.

"Well, I know when it's going to storm. And I know which way North is." He placed a hand between Gretl's shoulder blades, gently guiding her as she stepped carefully over the larger boulders on the path.

"You learned all that in the Navy?" Gretl asked.

"I did."

"Could you teach me sometime? Maybe then I could be in the Navy, too." He smiled down at her. Friedrich knew he didn't have the heart to tell her that she would never be able to realize that dream for so many reasons.

"I'll teach you, Sweetheart," he agreed.

They did stop at noon for lunch, much to Kurt's delight. They sat beside a small pond, and they filled their canteens from the stream which fed it, laughing and joking with one another. For a few minutes, they could pretend it was just another spring day and they were simply going on a picnic together as they always did. For a few minutes, there were no Nazis, no Anschluss, no cares in the world. They were content to simply laugh together, happily munching on the bread, cheese, and sausage.

"Remember when we used to skip rocks and see who could go the furthest?" Friedrich asked as he finished up his lunch.

"None of you could ever beat me," Georg said, grinning at his son.

"Let's try again," Friedrich said, feeling a sudden need to do something lighthearted, something that would take their mind off their predicament. "I'm older now. I bet I could do it." Georg opened his mouth, and Friedrich thought he was going to object, pointing out the need to put as much distance between them and the farm as possible. But after a single look at the pleading faces of his children, he gave in. They had a good head start and no one knew where they had gone.

"Okay. Go find some rocks."

"How do you skip a rock, Father?" Marta asked.

"I'll show you, Marta," Georg promised as Friedrich returned with a handful of flat rocks. The other children crowded around, each selecting their favorite stones. Liesl began the game as the oldest, achieving four skips before the rock sunk beneath the surface. Each of her siblings proceeded to take a turn. Gretl, Marta, and Johannes all threw too hard, and their rocks sunk below the surface immediately with a resounding splash. Marta and Johannes seemed content with the outcome, but Gretl looked to be on the verge of tears. Unwilling to see his sister cry, Friedrich handed over a second rock and gave her a second chance. It only skipped once, but it satisfied the five-year-old who wandered off with her sister to pick flowers.

"Mother, do you want a turn?" Friedrich called. Maria looked over at him, blinking out of her reverie.

"I suppose I could try," she said, a slight smile on her face. Friedrich suspected she knew more about skipping rocks than she was letting on. She grabbed one from Friedrich's hand, bringing her arm back and sending it across the surface of the water. Friedrich watched, counting. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. It certainly beat Friedrich's record of five.

Friedrich heard a low chuckle and looked back at Maria to see his father approaching her. "My, my, my love, it seems there truly is nothing you can't do," he whispered. The words were low and intimate, and Friedrich expected he was not supposed to hear them. He noted Maria blushed furiously, and he wondered momentarily at that before deciding he really did not want to know the reason. Maria leaned back slightly into Georg's embrace, and Friedrich noticed the shock on his father's face before the teen turned away, deciding it best if he did not see the next part of their interaction.

Friedrich was concentrating so hard on not noticing his parents that he missed his father approaching until the older man plucked a rock from his hand. He brought his arm back carefully, staring at the surface of the pond, and then let it go. It skipped eight times before sinking beneath the surface. As all the children congratulated him, he turned back to Maria and winked. "I may be good at a few things, too," he said, his voice still low.

"Don't worry, Mother, Father always wins," Kurt said, trying to cheer up his mother. Friedrich looked over at his mother, noting the tinge to her cheeks and the way she could not quite meet his father's eyes. It did not look as though she was upset about losing. Georg's eyes had darkened considerably, and he was watching his wife with an expression Friedrich could not quite understand.

"Are we going to keep walking?" Friedrich asked, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. At his words, his parents seemed to remember they were not alone, and they quickly looked back to their children.

"Yes. I'd like to try to get over this hill before nightfall," Georg said.

"It's not a hill, Father, it's a mountain," Gretl objected.

"No, silly, those are mountains," Kurt told her, pointing to the higher peaks in the distance. Gretl's eyes went wide.

"Are we going over those too?"

"We will. I bet you'll be able to see all of Austria from the top," Georg told her.

"And then we go to Swissland?"

Georg chuckled. "Switzerland. Yes, it's on the other side of those mountains."

"What are we going to do once we get there?"

"Well, I figured we would find a place to live first," Georg said.

"Why can't we live in our old house?"

Georg sighed. "I told you, sweetheart, the bad people came and they would have hurt is if we stayed in our old house. So we're going to find somewhere new where people can't hurt us."

"Bad people like the mean man who wanted to hurt Mama?"

"Yes, bad people like him."

The climb got harder as the day continued, but the older children seemed to have no trouble scrambling up the hill side, as sure-footed as goats. Gretl's small legs gave out an hour after lunch, and she began complaining about fatigue. Despite the fact that he had Johannes still strapped to his front and one of the heavier packs on his back, Georg bent down and slipped off the pack. He put the pack around her shoulders as he had done earlier. It dwarfed her, and he had to steady her for a moment. She giggled despite her weariness. Once he was satisfied with the pack placement, he bent over and let her clamber onto his back. Though his movements were smooth, Friedrich could not help but worry that the burden would be too much for even his formidable father. After all, they still had a long distance to travel, and two children and a pack would not be light.

Friedrich made his decision immediately. Quickening his steps, he caught up to his father. "What can I take, Father?" he asked. Georg looked over at Friedrich and gave a small smile.

"A fine offer, but we're okay for now. Aren't we Gretl?"

"I'm a sandwich!" Gretl exclaimed proudly. Friedrich could not help but chuckle.

"I see that. Are you having fun?"

"Oh yeah, loads of fun. Papa's so strong! He can carry me and Johannes and his pack!" Georg smiled.

"What do you say we catch up to your siblings?" he suggested. "I bet we could beat them to that bend in the path up there." Gretl's eyes went wide, and she clapped her hands in excitement, a gesture which Johannes copied with a giggle. That was all the encouragement Georg needed; he was off in a flash, Gretl holding tightly to his neck as he put a steadying hand against Johannes in the front. The others quickly took to the challenge, even Friedrich who raced ahead, stopping only once to ensure all of his siblings were following.

They had not quite reached the top of the hill when night started to fall. Georg called a halt when they began stumbling over rocks and roots because of the darkness, and they all gratefully set down their packs in a small clearing they had found. With her usual efficiency, Maria began to organize their campsite. She assigned Friedrich, Georg, and Louisa the task of gathering firewood, and they worked quickly despite the darkness, soon amassing a small heap beside a large dirt circle that the others had cleared while they were away. Gretl and Marta were carefully creating a circle of stones in the center of the cleared area while Liesl and Brigitta laid out their beds and Kurt set out dinner. Maria kept Johannes and Phillip entertained. The youngest of the brood had held up surprisingly well, but Friedrich supposed that at their age, this was a grand adventure. They likely did not understand the danger.

Spirits were relatively high as they all ate dinner though as they finished, Friedrich noticed his mother had wandered off by herself, unusually quiet. Somewhat surprisingly, his father did not notice, for he was too focused on keeping the children in high spirits. They talked for a bit, but Georg soon suggested they all retire to bed, for he wanted an early start the following day. Friedrich lay down on his bedroll, pulling his blanket tightly around him. It was a relatively cold night, but, surrounded by the warmth of the fire and his loved ones, he barely felt the cold and soon fell asleep.

Friedrich was surprisingly stiff the following morning. He had assumed he would be okay–after all, he did quite a bit of hiking and even some camping. He supposed the long trek the following day had been more arduous than anticipated. That also meant that he was sure his siblings were not faring much better, especially the younger ones, so he imagined they would be traveling much slower on the current day. Surprisingly, however, no one complained as they ate a quick breakfast and then packed up their campsite. Thinking about the hiking ahead of them, Friedrich approached his father as Georg stowed away the last of the blankets in his pack. "Let me take Johannes today, Father," he pleaded. "I can carry him and my pack and that way you'll be able to focus on Gretl."

Georg turned and gave his oldest son a small smile. "I will be fine, my boy, but I appreciate the offer. Perhaps you could take Phillip from your mother?"

"Georg, Friedrich's right. We still have a long way to go, and there is no point in tiring yourself out so early in the journey," Maria remarked, joining the pair.

"You forget my years in the Navy. I have carried far heavier burdens than I did yesterday. Less pleasant ones as well."

"Please let us help, Father," Liesl said. "I can take Phillip and then Friedrich can take Johannes." Georg glanced at his oldest daughter before taking in the pleading looks of his wife and son. He finally sighed in defeat.

"It seems that I am outnumbered. Okay, Friedrich, my boy, I will help you strap on Johannes. But if you start to get tired, please let me know. I am happy to take over if needed." With that, Georg handed the wrap to Friedrich, and they strapped the small boy to him quickly as Liesl and Maria did the same with Phillip. Friedrich did notice that Georg shifted some of the food from his son's pack to his own before handing the pack to Friedrich, but he decided not to fight his father on that front.

Friedrich was grateful he had insisted on taking Johannes, for Gretl insisted on riding on her father's back only a few minutes after they started and stayed there for nearly two hours until Marta asked to be carried. Georg convinced Gretl to walk for a bit and lifted her older sister to his back before continuing onwards, still showing no signs of fatigue. Marta stayed on her father's back until lunchtime. They had reached the top of the hill by that point, and they picnicked there, all of them enjoying the beauty of the valley below them and the higher peaks rising in the distance. Gretl and Marta had wandered to the side of the meadow, bent over something. Louisa stood near them, a watchful eye on her younger sisters. Friedrich watched as his parents studied the trio with fond smiles. "They're amazing," Georg said.

"They're your children," Maria responded.

"Au contraire, my love, they're our children." He leaned forward as he said that, but they were interrupted before their lips could meet by Marta's voice.

"Father, look, we found your flower!" she declared, holding out a handful of white blossoms.

"My flower?" he questioned.

"Edelweiss," Louisa explained, joining the trio with Gretl. "There's a bunch of it over there."

"Could you sing the song about it?" Marta asked, her eyes pleading. Georg sighed, and Friedrich smiled. He knew his father would give in. Georg could not resist pleading from any of his daughters. Standing, he swung Marta into his arms as he began the song.

"Edelweiss, Edelweiss

Every morning you greet me

Small and white, clean and bright

You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow

Bloom and grow forever

Edelweiss, Edelweiss

Bless my homeland forever."

His singing had attracted the other children who now gathered around him, happy to hear their father singing once more. When he had finished, he looked at Marta in his arms. "Is that what you wanted?" he asked.

She nodded. "Can we keep it?" she questioned, holding out the flowers.

"I don't think they'll last very well," Georg told her gently.

"They will if we dry them," Maria suggested.

"Don't you need a book for that?" Louisa asked. Maria smiled.

"I would bet your sister has one she could loan us if you ask nicely." All eyes went to Brigitta who sheepishly pulled a copy of The Tale of Two Cities out of her coat.

"We can put some flowers in it," she told her siblings. The two youngest immediately cheered, and Georg set his daughter on the ground so she could chase after her sister and collect the flower.

"Why don't the rest of you help me repack everything?" Maria suggested, and the older children immediately began to pack up the remainder of their lunch.

They sang a few more songs on their way down the hill, ranging from hymns to Austrian folk tunes. When they finished their normal repertoire, all the children looked to Maria for further inspiration. Much to their surprise, however, their father began to sing words that none of them expected to hear from him.

"Every kiss, every hug

Seems to act just like a drug

You're getting to be a habit with me

Let me stay in your arms

I'm addicted to your charms

You're getting to be a habit with me."

The older children stared at him, shocked to hear her father singing a popular Bing Crosby song. He looked over and winked at them, laughing at their expressions. He had always seemed so straight-laced, so military in his bearing that Friedrich was surprised he had even heard of the song much less knew all the words to it. It was definitely not something he would play at one of his fancy parties. "Where did you learn that song?" Liesl questioned, genuinely curious. He threw back his head and laughed.

"Did you really think I don't know about all the records you've snuck into the house over the years?" he questioned. "I listen to them sometimes after you all are in bed."

"Really?"

"Oh-ho, yes. I like Crosby. He has a good voice, and it's in the same register as mine."

"I think yours is better," Maria said immediately. Georg turned to look at her, his eyes darkening in an expression that Friedrich had come to know well.

"I used to think your love was something I could take or leave alone

But now I couldn't do without my supply

I need you for my own

Oh, I couldn't break away

I must have you every day

As regular as coffee or tea

You've got me in your clutches

And I can't get free

You're getting to be a habit with me

Can't break it

You're getting to be a habit with me." Friedrich knew that he was singing to his mother alone, forgetting about the children for a moment as they lost themselves in the love they shared. But before they could get too carried away, Gretl's voice broke their trance.

"I don't get it," she said, her brow crinkled in confusion.

Georg laughed. "Good."

Marta tired again about halfway through the afternoon, and Georg convinced Gretl to walk on her own for a short period while he hefted her sister on his back instead. She did so without complaint for a few minutes, but she quickly grew cranky again. Georg paused, looking down at the valley that was their destination, still a few kilometers away. Friedrich knew he might be able to carry two of them for a little while, but he could not do so indefinitely. They were not little girls anymore. Friedrich considered his own burden for a moment. Johannes had fallen asleep a few minutes before, but the small boy had always been a heavy sleeper. Friedrich slowed his steps slightly so he could talk to Louisa. "Can you take Johannes for a bit?" he asked his sister. "It looks like Father might need some help." Louisa glanced at their father who was trying to reason with the two little girls who were both begging to ride on his back.

"I've got him," she agreed, and they quickly switched the small boy to Louisa's front. Johannes stirred slightly but fell asleep again once strapped to his sister. Maria, noticing what they were doing, joined them and took the pack from Friedrich.

"Thank you," she told them softly but sincerely. Friedrich gave her a small smile before walking to his father who had lifted both girls into his arms but had definitely slowed his steps with their weight.

"Gretl, why don't I carry you for a bit?" Friedrich offered. Georg shot him a look, but before he could object, the small girl grinned and agreed, reaching for her brother. Georg set her on the ground, and Friedrich bent down, letting her scramble onto his back. Georg shifted Marta to his back as well before starting down the hill once more. Friedrich noticed he was not actually following a path, and he wondered how he knew in which direction to travel. However, he trusted his father enough not to question.

"Father, why do you hate the Nazis so much?" Marta asked suddenly.

Georg paused for a moment, obviously unsure of how to answer the unexpected question. Finally, he spoke. "They're not good people, Marta. They want to take over and make everyone act exactly like them. They want to kill anyone who won't do that or who's different from them."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew, Sweetheart."

"Maybe they're just scared, like you were when Mother died."

Friedrich watched the emotions play across his father's face at the surprisingly insightful statement. "Perhaps they are, Darling," he agreed. "A lot of people are scared these days."

"Are you still scared, Father?"

Georg glanced back at his family, all still wearing smiles despite the trials of the day. The answer seemed to come easily. "No, Marta, I'm not scared any more."

"Because of Mother."

"Yes, your mother is a big part of that."

"Did she teach you about her favorite things?"

Georg bit the inside of his lip, and Friedrich colored as he realized how the statement could be interpreted. "Something like that," he finally said, his voice shaking slightly. She seemed satisfied with that answer, and they lapsed into a comfortable silence as they walked.

A/N: I apologize in advance, but there will be a slight delay on the next chapter in this one. I want to get another one-shot written in the Moments Between story to set it up a bit, and I only have a couple paragraphs and a rough outline of it, so it will take some time to write. And I know that I've basically just inserted two new children for Georg and Maria without any real background, but I do plan to write some of that as well in Moments Between, in particular a birth story for Johannes that I already have sketched out.